Digging Into the New Tumblr Marty Markowitz Eating

The only thing in Brooklyn more rampant than borough president Marty Markowitz’s irrational hatred of bike lanes is borough president Marty Markowitz’s hunger. We’ve caught glimpses of it at various food festivals and events, but now, thanks to the new Tumblr Marty Markowitz Eating we can gorge ourselves on photos of Markowitz enjoying the company of food. We asked the creator of the site, who goes simply by “Markowitz Fan,” where s/he got the idea…

How did you get the idea for this Tumblr?Like any Brooklynite who’s ever met Marty Markowitz, I fell in love instantly. The guy’s got the accent, the gut, and the hunger he needs to represent any and all of the borough’s excellent culinary delights. It’s not hard to see that he enjoys food—you’ll never attend a press event or public speech of his without hearing about (or seeing) his love of all things edible. And I mean never. Once I realized that one of Markowitz’ primary focuses is food, I noticed that nobody was documenting his favorite adventures. That site is finally here.

Do you think Markowitz’s culinary interests are a symptom of the booming foodie culture in Brooklyn, or is he just what the French would call a “gourmand”?I’d say his hunger and Brooklyn’s burgeoning culinary fare feed into one another. Let’s say that you enjoy drinking whiskey, all the time, and your job is to promote businesses in your neighborhood. Would you not endorse every new business that offers you a free glass of bourbon just for showing up? I would. Markowitz is killing two birds with one fork here.

Does Markowitz need a food tester to make sure he doesn’t get poisoned?He doesn’t need a food tester. The guy’s got an iron stomach. It would be like trying to poison a cement truck.

Is there any local, Brooklyn neighborhood food (like pierogis in Greenpoint or dim sum in Chinatown) you can think of that Markowitz has so far neglected to eat?Markowitz will try anything that comes his way. He governs annual wing contests, hangs out with Kobayashi, and has sandwiches named after him—he won’t neglect anything if it’s in front of him. If I suggested one thing to him that he probably hasn’t tried, I’d say a Hanco’s Banh Mi at Smith and Bergen. Extra spicy. It’s the best Bahn Mi in the world. Seriously.

What would you say, based on the level of enjoyment legible in Markowitz’s facial expressions, is Marty’s favorite food?I’d say Marty’s favorite food is the sandwich. I mean any sandwich. It’s quick and variable, not to mention mobile when he’s on his way to his next speech. I’ve seen him eat a lot of sandwiches. When he has a little extra time on his hands, he goes to Junior’s. He can’t get away from that lovely cheesecake. Drink? Egg cream, without a doubt.

If you had to prepare a three-course meal for Marty, what would you serve?Start off with an everything bagel from La Bagel Delight, a substantial smear of scallion cream cheese, onions, tomato and lox. For the main course, a simple but gigantic roast beef sandwich (and a side of Wing Dings) from Brennan & Carr in Sheepshead Bay. He loves that place. Top it off with a Junior’s strawberry cheesecake and an egg cream for desert, and you’ve made our favorite elected official content!